Demountable and collapsible rack



y 7, 1957 F. w. STAIRWALT 2,791,336

' DEMOUNTABLE AND COLLAPSIBLE RACK Filed July 3, 1955 2b FRED ERICK NS'mawAcr 972 771002024 16mm @m A TTOR/VEYS United States PatentDEMOUNTABLE AND COLLAPSIBLE RACK Frederick W. Stairwalt, Washington, D.C.

Application July 3, 1953, Serial No. 365,863

2 Claims. (Cl. 211149) This invention relates to an improved rack whichis demountable, collapsible, and extensible, and which is especiallysuitable for use in a kitchen cabinet or the like to provide additionalshelf space at the sides and back of the cabinet.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a morepractical and efficient rack of this kind which occupies a minimurn ofspace in a cabinet, has unusual strength without excessive bulk andweight, which collapses to a compact flat condition, and which can bemade in a serviceable and attractive form at relatively low cost.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention willbe apparent from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form ofthe invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a rack in accordance with the presentinvention, showing it installed in a cabinet outlined in broken lines;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an exploded view of the rack in an inverted position; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of a modified formof rack.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the illustrated rack comprises arear horizontal shelf 14 composed of a pair of flat tubes and 12telescopically and slidably engaged with each other at their inner ends.The tubes 10 and "12 have outer ends 15 provided with pairs oftransversely spaced hinge barrels 16. Flat tubular rear, normallyvertical legs 18 have free lower ends 19 to rest upon a cabinet shelf orthe like, and upper ends 17 having single hinge barrels 20 thereon whichare engaged between the hinge barrels 16, the hinge barrels beingtraversed by removable headed hinge pins 21, in such an arrangement thatthe legs 18 are stopped in erect positions by engagement of the relatedends of the tubes 10 and 12 and the legs 18, and the legs 18 lie flatagainst the undersides of the tubes -10 and 12 when collapsed. Theforward sides of the tubes 10 and 12 are provided with longitudinalslots 22 for the reception of side shelves 24.

The side shelves 24 comprise pairs of rear and forward tubes 25 and 27,respectively, the rear tubes 25 being slidably engaged in the slots 22.

The forward ends 29 of the forward tubes '27 have pairs of hinge barrels26 thereon which receive therebetween single hinge barrels 30 on theupper ends of front legs 28, the barrels 26 and 30 being traversed byremovable hinge pins 31. The front legs 28 are of flat tubular form likethe rear legs 18 and are disposed at right angles to the rear legs 18.

In order to hold the legs 18 and 28 erect, ladder-type toggle braces 32are pivotally connected to the rear shelf 14 and the rear legs 18 andsimilar braces 34 are connected to the side shelves 24 and the frontlegs 28. It will thus n r I P tented May 7, 5

2 V be seen that when the legs 18 and 28 are erected, as shown in Figure1, they are held erect by the braces 32 and 34.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figure 4, a shelfdesignated generally 14' corresponding substantially to the shelf 14 isprovided adjacent opposite ends with hinge barrels 36 and with stopfingers 38 which are adapted to engage the outer side of an associatedleg 18 corresponding in all respects to the legs 18.

in use, the device is extended, as illustrated in Figure l, and placedwithin the cabinet to provide additional shelf space for small items,such as spice boxes or the like. When it is desired to collapse the rackfor transportation or storage, the side shelves 24 are extracted fromthe slots 22 and the braces 34 are broken to permit the legs 28 to foldagainst the undersides of the side shelves 24 in substantial parallelrelation therewith. Likewise, the braces 32 are broken to permit thelegs 18 to be folded against the underside of the rear shelf 14 to liein substantial parallel relation therewith. By telescoping the tube 12of the rear shelf 14 into the tube 10 thereof, it will be obvious thatthe device will occupy but a minimum amount of space and the parts maybe readily placed one against the other to provide a compact bundlecapable of being stored in a relatively small space.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferredembodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changesin the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a rack, a rear horizontal shelf comprising a pair of slidablytelescoped flat tubes having outer ends and undersides, rear legs havingupper ends hinged on said outer ends to swing on axes extendingcrosswise of the rear shelf from erect positions to collapsed positionsagainst the undersides of said tubes, said tubes halving forward sidesprovided with slots adjacent to the outer ends of the tubes andextending longitudinally of the tubes, horizontal side shelves extendingforwardly from said rear shelf, said side shelves having undersides andcomprising slidably telescoped flat rear and forward tubes, the reartubes having rear ends slidably engaged in said slots, said forwardtubes having forward ends, front legs having upper ends hinged on theforward ends of the forward tubes to swing on axes extending crosswiseof the side shelves from erect posit-ions to collapsed positions againstthe undersides of the side shelves, and foldable brace meansindividually connected between the rear legs and the rear shelf andbetween the front legs and the side shelves for holding the legs inerect positions.

2. In a rack, a rear horizontal shelf comprising a pair of slidablytelescoped flat tubes having outer ends and undersides, rear legs havingupper ends hinged on said outer ends to swing on axes extendingcrosswise of the rear shelf from erect positions to collapsed positionsagainst the undersides of said tubes, said tubes having forward sidesprovided with slots adjacent to the outer ends of the tubes andextending longitudinally of the tubes, horizontal side shelves extendingforwardly from said rear shelf, said side shelves having undersides andcomprising slidably telescoped fiat rear and forward tubes, the reartubes having rear ends slidably engaged in said slots, said forwardtubes having forward ends, front legs having upper ends hinged on theforward ends of the forward tubes to swing on axes extending crosswiseof the side shelves from erect positions to collapsed positions againstthe undersides of the side shelves, and fold-able brace meansindividually connected between the rear legs and the rear shelf andbetween the front legs and the side to the rear legs in the erectpositions of the legs.

3 shelves for holding the legs in erect positions, the tubes of the rearshelf and of the side shelves being in horizontal planes and the frontlegs being in planes perpendicular References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Herrmenau Sept, 18, 1888 Meisenbach "Nov.24, 1891 10

